Capital markets news | Tue 6 Jan 2026
Do you know?
2026 surprises > Tech, AI and market structure: Correlated AI models might misread a signal, causing a flash‑crash‑like event and prompting “AI circuit‑breaker” rules. Tokenised funding/collateral rails could reach meaningful scale, blurring on‑/off‑chain markets. A new wave of app‑based leverage in structured products or social trading might unwind abruptly, transmitting retail excess into core markets.
Equity
- Frozen food trader Guan Huat Seng prices ACE Market IPO at 25 sen Edge NST Star
- Foreign outflows continued on Bursa, up 65% to RM904m last week Edge NST
- MiniMax plans to price Hong Kong IPO at top of range Edge Yahoo
- Hong Kong reclaims top global IPO spot in 2025, PwC says NST
- Investors are piling into Hong Kong’s biotech IPOs Yahoo
- India’s top asset manager taps Citi, HSBC for USD1.4b Edge
- From Baidu unit to Jio, Asia’s IPO boom shows no sign of slowing Edge Star
- Emerging-market stocks set for record high on tech optimism Edge NST
- Japan retail investors ignore domestic bull market to opt for US Edge
- Foreign ownership in South Korean stocks hit a high Star
- Foreign investors offload USD1.05b in Asian equities Star
- US IPO performance lags S&P 500 in 2025 as crypto, AI deals sink Edge
- Apollo said to invest in Brad Jacobs’ distribution firm QXO Yahoo
- Hedge fund Tribeca eyes Venezuela gold rush after 127% gain Edge
- Former Chevron executive seeks USD2b for Venezuelan oil projects NST
Debt
- Sasaran Etika’s issue rating withdrawn following early redemption RAM
- CIMB Investment Bank, 11 others hit with RM1.38b MEX II suit Edge
- Tighter liquidity a key risk for banks NST
- Banking sector poised for steady 2026 on credit growth, NIM expansion Star
- China asks banks to report exposure to Venezuela after US raid Edge
- Yellen warns of growing fiscal dominance threat to US economy Edge Star
- Debt spree for AI growth is fuelling a credit trading frenzy Star
- US pushes oil majors to invest big in Venezuela if they want to recover debts Edge
- UBS draws around USD10b bids for additional Tier 1 sale Edge
Digital assets
- Japan’s finance minister supports crypto trading at stock exchanges Coindesk
- Goldman Sachs sees regulation driving institutional crypto adoption Coindesk
- CME Group’s average crypto derivatives volume hit record USD12b in 2025 Coindesk
- Robinhood leans into advanced traders as volatility reshapes behaviour Coindesk
- XRP’s 9% surge leads crypto as bitcoin climbs to 6-week high near USD95k Coindesk
- Bitcoin rally masks fragile liquidity as spot volumes hit year-long lows Coindesk
- Bitcoin miners’ profits dwindle despite lower competition, JPMorgan says Coindesk
- Crypto traders can now speculate on housing prices through Polymarket Coindesk
- Crypto companies contribute USD21m to Trump ahead of midterms Cointelegraph
- Crypto funds pulled USD47b inflows in 2025 as altcoins led Cointelegraph
M&A
- Pharmora succeeds in Apex Healthcare takeover offer, en route to delist Edge
- Farhash offloads entire 19.9% stake in MMAG, steps down as chairman Edge Star
- Sunway expands land bank with RM180m Selangor, Penang acquisition Edge Star
- Glomac to sell Puchong land parcels to Sunway unit for RM97.3m Edge NST Star
- Ingenieur Gudang to sell vacant factory in Nilai for RM22m Edge Star
- Falcon secures approval to sell 98.1% of Falcon Australia to Tamboran Yahoo
- Synovus and Pinnacle finalise USD8.6b merger Yahoo
- Baldwin and CAC Group finalise USD1.03b merger deal Yahoo
- Commerce Bancshares concludes acquisition of FineMark Yahoo
- OceanFirst to buy Flushing Bank in USD579m New York expansion Yahoo
- Stord buys e-commerce specialist Shipwire from Ceva Logistics Yahoo
- MGN Logistics adds expedited assets in latest deal Yahoo
- Definity completes purchase of Travelers’ Canadian insurance businesses Yahoo
- Hyatt completes USD2b sale of Playa Hotels & Resorts real estate Yahoo
- Palo Alto Networks in talks to acquire Koi Security for USD400m Yahoo
- Flutterwave buys Nigeria’s Mono in rare African fintech exit Yahoo
Malaysia
- Job market remains resilient in Oct 2025 helping consumption Star
- MOF: Service tax exemption on pre-Jul 2025 contracts until Jun 2027 Edge
- E-invoicing: Govt delays compliance for businesses with up to RM5m turnover Edge
- IRB: No penalties for e-invoicing non-compliance provided rules are observed Edge
- IRB: No CP500 penalty in 2026 for taxpayers with rental or freelance income Edge
- Service tax on rentals for Malaysian MSMEs reduced to 6% Edge Star
- 1.34m businesses counted in Malaysia’s economic census NST
- MACC: 26 companies under probe in army procurement graft investigation Edge
- Johor to focus on deepening ByteDance’s long-term commitment, says MB Edge NST
- Former Khee San director faces 11 charges for causing wrongful loss Edge Star
Other markets
- SGX Securities to be renamed SGX Stock Exchange Edge
- Singapore factory activity rises for fifth straight month Star
- Indonesia trade surplus less than forecast, inflation quickens Edge NST
- Indonesian manufacturing sector barely grows in Dec 2025 Star
- Ex-Indonesian minister faces graft charges over Google laptop procurement Edge
- Thailand central bank estimates economy grew 2.2% in 2025 Edge NST
- Thailand set to break record China trade deficit Star
- Vietnam economy expands despite tariffs, beating estimates Edge NST
- Asean manufacturing PMI improves in Dec – S&P Global Edge NST Star
- China’s services gauge slows again with growth at 6-month low Edge NST
- HKMA in talks with SFC, insurance authority to promote fintech Yahoo
- Emerging currencies shrug off weakness as USD loses haven appeal Yahoo
- Taiwan prosecutors file new indictments in Tokyo Electron trade secrets case Edge
- Bank of Japan chief vows to keep raising interest rates Edge NST Yahoo
- Japan’s factory activity steadies as demand declines slow, PMI shows Edge NST Star
- AI will reduce Japan’s workforce in next 10 years, executives say Star
- US factory sector slumped to 14-month low as 2025 ended, ISM says Edge
- Trump’s tax stimulus set to keep US economy on track in 2026 Yahoo
- Trump: US companies to invest in Venezuela Star
- Venezuelan oil revival is USD100b gamble Star Yahoo
- Czech central bank chief says policy will need to remain tight Star
- OECD finalises agreement on global minimum tax Edge